Mansoa alliacea / Ajos Sacha / Bignoniaceae (Bignonia family)

Information

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Other Names

Adenocalymma alliaceum, Adenocalymma pachypus, Adenocalymma sagotii, Pachyptera alliacea, Pseudocalymma pachypus, Pseudocalymma sagotti, Pseudocalymma alliaceum, Bignonia alliacea, Mansoa alliacea, Bignonia aequinoctialis, Aboeja-mibia, Ah-kah-pota, Ajo Macho, Ajo Sacha, Ajos Sacha, Ajosacha, Ajos del Monte, Amazonian Garlic Bush, Ayotete, Be'o-ho, Be'o-ja, Pusanga, Bejuco de Ajo, Boens, Cipo-alho, Cipo-dalho, False Garlic, Garlic Rope, Garlic Vine, Gonofroe-tite, Ilay Kamwi, Ka Ale, Knof-looklian, Knoflook Liaan, Koenofrokoetite, Kwi-po-kan, Liane-ail, Nia Boens, Nishi Boains, Posatalu, Sacha Ajo, Sucho Ajo, Shansque Boains, Tingi-tite, Vova, Wild Garlic, Woe-ipole.

Scent

This vine has a strong Garlic fragrance, and is even used as substitute for Garlic in food.

Aromatic Properties

The plant, when used as an amulet and its fragrance when burned will drive away evil spirits. Used for cleansing the aura or to purify ritual objects.

Contents

Chemicals reported in Ajos Sacha thus far include: 24-ethyl-cholest-7-en-3-beta-ol, 3-beta-hydroxy-urs-18-en-27-oic acid, alliin, allyl sulfides, alpha 4-hydroxy-9-methoxy-lapachone, alpha 9-methoxy-lapachone, apigenins, aspartic acid, beta-sitosterol, beta amyrin, beta-peltoboykinolic acid, cosmosiin, cyanidin-3-o-beta-d-rutinoside, daucosterol, diallyl sulfides, 1-2: 3-vinyl-dithi-4-ene, 1-2: 3-vinyl-dithi-5-ene, dithiacyclopentene, dotriacontan-1-ol, fucosterol, glutamic acid, glycyrrhetol, hentriacontanes, hexacosan-1-ol, hexatriacontans, leucine, luteolin, n-nonacosane, oct-1-en-3-ol, octacosan-1-ol, pentatriacont-1-en-17-ol, scutellarein-7-o-beta-d-glucuronide, stigmasterol, triacontan-1-ol, triallyl sulfides, trithiacyclohexene, n-tritriacontane, and ursolic acid. (1)

Historical

Ajos Sacha is well used and respected by most of the indigenous Indian tribes of the Amazon and almost all parts of the plant are used; the leaves, vine bark, and root. Most consider the plant to be "Magical" or "Spiritual" and capable of driving away evil spirits or used for good luck. The leaves, tied in bunches, can often be found in local huts and houses for this purpose, or, the leaves are burned as smudge over people or in houses to "cleanse the spirit" or to bring good luck. The Shipibo-Conibo Indians give a tea of bark to dogs to make them good hunters and also drink the tea themselves to bring good luck when hunting or fishing. Oftentimes, Ajos Sacha can be found as an adjunctive ingredient in the potion the shamans use in spiritual ceremonies called Ayahuasca. It is added to the brew to drive away evil spirits, or to purify the blood and body to make the Ayahuasca more readily accepted.
True communion with the spirits of plants can only be achieved, shamans believe, through a special diet. The diet consists of vegetables and special plants of the jungle, such as the Ajos Sacha.
Ajos Sacha is also quite well known and popular in the cities and towns in the Amazon and has a long history of use in herbal medicine systems in Peru and Brazil. (1)

Plant Description

Ajos Sacha grows into a cluster of vines, and it is common to plant it next to the trunk of a tree. Deep lavender flowers with white throat fading to a paler lavender. Blooms heavily in the Spring and Fall. Will have some flowers on and off throughout the year. Flowers start off purple and change to a lighter shade of lavender with age. Eventually fading to almost white. You will see 3 different color of flowers at the same time on the plant.

References

(1) Ajos Sacha, Raintree Plant Database